Out Our Way: It's just our nature - Matthew 7:12

Out our way, you often see the Golden Rule in action amongst critters as well as people. Sometimes more so. I recall the first time I saw "babysitting" cows. One cow would stay with all the calves while the other mamas would go on down to the water or graze a different section of pasture. They took turns caring for each other's calves and shared the load. No big deal. It's just natural. 

As some of you know, I had a "Rez Dog" named "Jack." A "Rez Dog" is a semi-domesticated dog from the reservation. Typically, they wander at large and hang around people to get food, but have no real home. Now Jack was a large - 70 pound - mutt with long hair like a spaniel, but yellowish eyes like a wolf. He hung around the medical clinic where my ex-wife sometimes worked, and as I often drove her the 30-plus miles to the clinic and later came and drove her back home, and from the clinic, I got to know Jack.

Long story short, one day Jack mixed it up with a porcupine and the wife called me to come up, catch him, and transport him to a vet in town. So I made the 60 mile round trip, having managed to get Jack in the car, and got him to the vet. The next day, the ex suggested we keep Jack, which I was delighted to do. Jack quickly bonded with me and used to hop - all 70 pounds - into my lap and roll over for a tummy scratch.  

One day, I was out riding alone with Doc in the Bear Paws and took Jack with me - Doc and Jack got along pretty well - when, suddenly, Doc went all stiff and became agitated. You see, although rare, this area was home to a number of mountain lions, which is why I started wearing my .45 when riding on this part of the trail, and there apparently one was in the brush whom Doc sensed. Jack sensed it too - but instead of tensing up like Doc or being terrified like me, Jack just trotted off into the brush. Some loud barks and the sound of crashing brush quickly followed, and a large cat ran off into the hills yonder. And Jack came back out with a satisfied look on his face, Doc relaxed and I did as well. I saved Jack from his porcupine quills and perhaps eventual death - and he saved Doc and me from the lion. Quid pro quo.   

I never thought much about rescuing Jack from the porcupine quills, nor did he think anything of his chasing off the lion. It came naturally - and that means it was truly of God. If we open our eyes, we see the Golden Rule is natural and normal in everyday life as people live it without even thinking about it. The guy who helps a disabled person across a busy street simply because the guy needs help. The woman who helps hold the shopping cart steady for another mom as she tries to get her squalling and kicking child seated and buckled in. The person who simply holds the door for someone right behind them, or lets someone with only three items go ahead of them at checkout when she/he has a full cart to unload. Little acts of kindness we don't even think about, nor should we, because, except for a few very sad individuals, it is the norm. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" is a universal concept and certainly not limited to Christians. Nearly every religion teaches it and even atheists and agnostics tend to practice it as well. 

I ride over the prairie and see cattle practicing it, I look down at that shaggy mutt by my stirrup and know ole Jack gets it, and I stand in line at the checkout stand and see strangers practicing it. Indeed, it is so normal for most creatures, that the "Karen" or " Kevin" who rejects and resents it is the abnormal and mentally questionable member of society. The Golden Rule is not about religion but about humanity. The religious folk simply know the Author of the rule. The rest simply know it is part of what it means to be human.

Be blessed and be a blessing!

Brother John  

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The Rev. John Bruington is the retired pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Havre. He now lives in Colorado, but continues to write "Out Our Way." He can be reached for comment or dialogue at [email protected].